


Ladies' Choice

by anenko



Category: Love Shuffle
Genre: F/M, Jdrama, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-14
Updated: 2009-11-14
Packaged: 2017-10-02 16:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anenko/pseuds/anenko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What he wants doesn't matter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ladies' Choice

Yukichi waits exactly a year and a day after the divorce.

*

Flowers close in around Yukichi. The variety of colours and scents amaze him. His hands are clammy. Yukichi's grip on his briefcase tightens. He considers, briefly, buying every flower in the shop, filling Mei's apartment with them until she can't turn around without being reminded of him, and can't breathe without thinking of him.

Yukichi mutters an apology to the smiling saleswoman, and stumbles back into the street. He isn't a stalker, and Mei's affections can't be bought with extravagant gestures that Yukichi has practiced on the women before her.

He is courting _Mei._ He will woo and win her without tricks, without bribes, and without regrets. He buys her a potted plant, the buds still small and closed, but full of promise. Yukichi is certain that they will bloom beautifully under Mei's care.

He _knows. _

*

The reply to Yukichi's hand-written letter is brief, and to the point. _I'm sorry,_ Mei writes. Yukichi clutches the letter to his chest, saved from despair by the line hastily scribbled at the bottom of the sheet: _not yet._

Kei smiles at Yukichi with all the wisdom of his experience. "Mei's looks are misleading," he says. "When she makes up her mind, she won't be moved."

"Lucky for you," Airu tells Kei, and presses a cup of tea into Yukichi's free hand. "Give her time, Yukki," Airu tells him.

He _has,_ Yukichi thinks. "Can't you--"

"_No_," Airu says.

"No," Kei says.

"No stalking," Airu tells him firmly.

"No cheating," Kei adds.

"No stalking," Yukichi agrees, "no cheating." He will not place a GPS in Mei's car. He will not tap her phone. He is not a selfish child, and Yukichi will not be anything less than the man Mei deserves.

It is hard to be a good man; harder than Yukichi has ever imagined.

*

Mei does not accept Yukichi's second invitation, or his third. She does, finally, agree to meet for coffee, one bright Tuesday afternoon. Yukichi hasn't been so close to Mei since their divorce. Her hair is shorter, her nails are painted the delicate colour of eggshells, and her smile still makes Yukichi's breath catch in his throat.

He wishes, suddenly, inappropriately, for ice to crunch on. His mouth is dry, and his mind is empty of anything but: Mei, Mei, Mei.

"Have you been keeping busy, Yukki?" Mei asks.

"Yes," Yukichi says. "I still jog, every morning."

Mei's eyes crinkle as she smiles. "I'm glad," she says.

"I've gotten better," Yukichi tells her. He is racing to catch up to Mei, after all. He can see her, moving steadily in the distance. He thinks, maybe, maybe, he is finally close enough for his voice to reach her. "Maybe we could run together one day?"

Mei curls her hands around her tea cup. She tilts her head slightly as she considers Yukichi. He wants to touch the corner of her lips with his thumb. He wants to draw her hand into his own, and hold on to her with all of his strength.

What he wants doesn't matter.

He had promised Mei, on their last day as husband and wife: it is _her_ turn to choose, now.

"I think," Mei says slowly, "that I would like that." She briefly touches her fingertips to the back of Yukichi's hand, and smiles.

*

Yukichi and Mei have kissed exactly three times.

The first was on their wedding day. The second kiss came on Yukichi's birthday, a fleeting touch that passed before Yukichi had time to do more than gasp with the surprise of it. The third kiss came after Yukichi signed the divorce papers, thanks and forgiveness.

This kiss belong to Mei, as well. She carefully sets Yukichi's hands on her hips before sliding her arms around his neck. She says: "I once said that I could love you."

Yukichi remembers. "Yes," he says.

"You let me leave," Mei says.

Yukichi swallows. "It was what you wanted."

"And now," Mei says, and leans forward. Yukichi promised Mei that he would be a gentleman. He will not take more than Mei is willing to give. He will not, will not, and only pulls Mei into his body when her mouth opens against his. She drags her fingers through his hair, and sighs as their mouths part.

"And now," Mei says, "it's not so cold as it used to be." Her face is pink, her jaw set bravely. She touches the button at the collar of her shirt.

Yukichi blinks, and flushes. "It is very warm," he agrees, voice strangled.

Their hands meet.

*

"Do you think," Yukichi says, "that we should get married?"

"Someday," Mei says lazily. "Maybe."


End file.
